Following the government's announcement of the wider reopening of schools on the June 1, GMB’s Sheffield Education Branch, along with GMB Organisers Sarah Barnes and Lee Parkinson, decided to hold the region's first online Zoom meeting for School Support Staff.

In total 171 people registered to attend the meeting, which shows the strength of feeling about schools opening too soon.

Neil Derrick, GMB Regional Secretary and Louise Haigh, MP for Sheffield Heeley both gave great speeches and many questions from school support staff were answered by the panel, which consisted of Lee Parkinson, Branch Secretary Maria Hill and Convenors Kath Robinson and John Stevenson.

Sarah Barnes said:

“Having so many members wanting to join the meeting shows that doing meetings 'virtually' is a great way of reaching more members 'face to face', not just during lockdown, but beyond this crisis too. Due to demand, another meeting will be held very soon.”